Tanvika Karupakula Bharathanatyam
Bharathanatyam Arangetram

Chief Guests

Honoring Culture, Service, and Community

Saturday, September 5, 2026 · 2:30 PM PDT

Dublin High School, 8151 Village Parkway, Dublin, CA 94568

Shakthi Guests of Honor

With Gratitude

We are honored to welcome two distinguished guests whose work reflects devotion to the arts, mentorship, entrepreneurship, and community impact.

Vani Gundlapalli

Chief Guest

Vani Gundlapalli

Art director, teacher, mentor, and founder of SivaPadam Dance, known for bringing together Indian art forms and dance styles on one stage.

Vani Gundlapalli has conceptualized, directed, and produced Indian music, dance, and spiritual shows for more than 15 years across the USA, Singapore, Cambodia, India, and beyond. Her productions have included stage dramas, youth-led full dance productions, and performances centered on Lord Shiva, Ramayana, Annamayya, and Saint Ramadasu.

Through SivaPadam and related cultural initiatives, she has created platforms for children, youth, and adult artists, while also supporting music and dance festivals and competitions for young performers. Her work reflects a deep commitment to devotion, community, and the beauty of Indian classical and folk traditions.

Raju Chamarthi

Chief Guest

Raju Chamarthi

Sri Raju Chamarthi is a prominent educator, cultural advocate, and leader in the Telugu diaspora, best known for his transformative work with SiliconAndhra ManaBadi.

Originally from Vadamalapeta (near Tirupati), he spent over 20 years as a technology professional in Silicon Valley before transitioning full-time to academic and cultural leadership.

Key Leadership Roles

Chief Executive Officer: He serves in this capacity at the Aria University (formerly known as University of Silicon Andhra), where he oversees academic strategy and curriculum development for diverse programs in Indian Fine Arts and Languages, in addition to running the University.

President and Dean of SiliconAndhra ManaBadi: Under his leadership since 2007, he helped grow ManaBadi from a small group of 150 students into the world's largest non-profit Telugu language school. It now serves over 14,000 students across 35 U.S. states and 12 countries.

Community Leader: He has served as President of the Rotary Club of Silicon Andhra and is a frequent speaker on the importance of preserving the “mother tongue” and cultural identity for the next generation.

Major Achievements

Academic Accreditation: He played a critical role in achieving WSCUC accreditation for Aria University. He secured “World Language” status for the ManaBadi Telugu curriculum in 60+ U.S. school districts, allowing high school students to earn foreign language credits for learning Telugu.

Awards: In 2016, he was awarded “Vidya Ratna” at the ATA Conference in Chicago. In 2024 he received the “Community Service Award” by Adopt a Village Global Foundation. In 2025, he was honored with the Telugu Times Business Excellence Award in the Education category for his “tireless efforts in promoting Telugu language and culture among younger generations.” In June 2026, he was awarded the “MATA Excellence Award” by Mana American Telugu Association.

Sri Raju Chamarthi has been a “visionary leader” in ensuring that Telugu remains a living, vibrant language for families living outside of India.